Grain-scouring apparatus



ug R. H. BARKER GRAIN scouRrNG APPARATUS Y Fil'ed D ec. 8. 1.924 s sheets-sheet 1 Y mento@ v ow wwe@ ,wo www4 ...NN YH. f mwwm www @www www QN .N AN SQJN NN @Ww Aug. 16, 1927. l

R. H. BARKER GRAIN scoUnING APgARATUs s sheets-sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8. -1924 Aug.A 16, 1927.

R. H. BARKER GRAIN sconms APPARATUS Filed D'c; s. 1924 Smeets-sheet 3 nun Patented Aug.. 16, 1927.

UN1TED1 STATES ROBERT n. BARKER, or CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRAIN-SCOURING AAPPARATUS.

`applicationined December '8, 1924. serial No. 754,609.

This invention is anpapparatus for Washing, drying and hulling various kinds of grain, preparatory to milling thesame. t

One ofthe objects of the invention is to provide a simple means for introducing the grain intothe apparatus, in lmeasured quantities of-predetermined volume. further object is to provide means for introducing a Washing and scouring fiu'id simultaneously With the introduction of the grain. A further object is to provide 'a plurality of treating chambers, and means for auto matically effecting transfer of the grain from 'one chamber' to another, in timed sequence.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a'front elevation, with parts broken away,illustrating an apparatus constructed in accordance'with the invention. Figure 2 is an end view ofthe apparatus. Figure 3 .is a detail view illustrating the feed hopper and its adjuncts, parts being in section.v igure 4 is aside elevation. Figure 5 is a sectional view illustrating the apparatus for controlling the Washingiflu'id.' Figures 6 andf are side and front views respectively, of one of the grain valve gates.

Figure 8 is a detail View 'illustrating `the operating connection of a pair of valve gates.

Figure 9 is a detailvievv of one of the op-r erating cams. Figure 10is asectional View illustratingone of the chambers vReferring to the drawings, the main supporting frame' Work consists of two end frames 10, rigidly connected ly top and bottom bars 11 and 12, respectively. Supported by the main frame Work are a plurality of Working chambers 13, 14, 15,16, 17 and` 18,

which are separated from each other byv di-I vision plates or partitions A19, suitably '.se#`

cured to the top and Vbottom bars.

IneachA compartment is` rotatably mount-v ed a grain moving device,`preferably inthe forinof a fan or beater' 20, said beatersl being carried by a main shaft 2l, mounted in suitable bearings 22, and driven by means of a pulley 23, from anydesired source of power. -The beaters 20"may be of any'preferred constructiombut vare shown as consisting of drums rotatably 'y mounted upon the shaft 21,'and provided with pe-y ripheral rims having radiallymdisposed pro'-` jections,2wliich may be: made offanyr material sufliciently rigid to act to carry the grain around and also to create the necessary air displacement. Ihile six chambers are shown', it .is to be understood that the number of chambers may be vincreased or Vdiminished as desired, without departing from the spirit of the invention. In practice, the casings 13, 14 and 15 are provided with perforated walls 24, enclosing the beater 20, and the casings 16 and 17y are provided With suitable abrasive Walls 25, enclosing the beaters,k for the purpose of hulling the grain if such operation is desired.

The partition Walls 19 are each provided with an opening 26, by means'of Which the grain may be passed from one chamber to another. In order to eifect the change automatically during the operation of the ap-` paratus rand in 'timed sequence, a pair of flow controlling and transfer gates 27 are mounted in each chamber in parallel relation, and so disposed that they engage the peripheral walls of the chamber .in a positheropening in the chamber, under'the action of the centrifugal force Adeveloped in the 7 operation of the beater 20. Said gates are pivotally supported as indicated at 28, and conform to the curvature of the periphery of the chamber, as clearly indicated in Figure 7. Each pair of gates 27 are moved in unison by means of levers 29, onefor each gate 27,

Aconnected thereto in suitable manner.

'The levers 29 extend to the outside of the casing, and the levers of each pair are con-v nected by a link 30, which is provided vwith' rollers 31, positioned tovengage a cam 32, secured to a. cam shaft 33, mounted .in'suitable bearings 34, 'and operatively .connected with the main shaft 21.` The cams 32 are so positioned that the gates lare automatically operated in timed sequence, so that once the apparatus is charged With grain the operation Will `be practically. continuous.

Leading from each of the working chambers is a stack 34, Whichcommunicates with a common exhaust pipe 35, or if desired the stacks from the hulling chambers may be connected With separate exhaust flues.

. The grain is introduced into the chamber 13 through a hopper' 36, Whichis secured in rposition in suitable manner, and is provided with an inlet fslidelvalve and an' outlet slide valve 38,V said valvesbeing suitably connected'by an operating lever 39, pivotedgto the frame Work. r1`he lever 39 is actuated by a crank disk 40 connected With said lever through a link 41.

The crank disk 40 secured to a shaft 42, mounted in a casing 43, which is provided with a Water inlet 44 connected to a source oi supply, not shown. Said casing is also provided with a Water outlet 45, communi eating with the chamber 13. Mounted on the shaft 42, andrlocated between the inlet 44 and the outlet 45, is a valve disk 46 having openings, pre'terably two, 47 and 48, respectively. riflie shaij't 42 is rotated by means of a gear 49 secured thereto and meshing with a train oi gears indicated at 50, driven in suitable manner from the main shaft 21.

1n operation, the shaft 21 is rotated through the medium ot a pulley 23, and as a consequence the cam shaft 33, and the valve shaft 42 are rotated through the medium ot the intermediate gearing. The parts are so proportioned that they will operate in timed sequence, the valve gate 37, being held open until the hopper v is illed With grain. ln this connection it is to be understood that the4 volui'ne ort the hopper 36 is approximately the same as the capacity ot any one of the. Working chambers. f

TNhen the hopper 36 is lilled, the crank disk 40 operates to close the valve 37,' and open the valve 33, thereby depositing the grain into the chamber 13. immediately after the grain is deposited in the chamber 13, the opening 47 in the valve disk 46, registersivvith the passage between the inlet opening 43 and the outlet opening 44, of the casing 42, permits the introduction` of a charge ot Water into the chamber13.

Y rlhe beater 20, rotating rapidly Within the chamber 13, scours the grain and forces on the Water and dirt through the perforations in the plate 24. In the meantime, the disk 46 continues to rotate and brings the opening 48into register With the openings 44. and 45, thereby introducing a secondv charge or Water into the chamber 13, which serves to rinse and more completely cleanse. the material. Immediately after this takes place, the iirst cam 32 engages thel roller 31 ot the. valve actuating mechanism of the chamber 13, bringing. the gateA members 27 to an. inclined position, thereby uncovering ,the opening in the vpartition 19, so as todirect the grain laterally 'from the chamber 13 into the chamber 14, due to the action of the centrifugal force `developed in the operation. otV the beater 20. f

By thetime that the chamber 13 is emptied the hopper 36,1ias again been filled and will Vrecharge the chamberl 13. In themeantime thel grain is caused to travely around in the chamber 14 until additional moisture is. torced out through the perforated, plates 24, and the. valves are actuated to. transfer the grain to the chamber 15. Lhe cams are so a form, ready for immediate milling, havingA been thoroughly cleansed, dried and hulled, by centrifugal force. containing.- no moisture other than that normally present. ill the grain had it not been treated by the, apparatusy de-v scribed. All of the. lighter dust, dirt and hulls are drawn up into 'the stacks-Which are connected with. exl'laust apparatus of a type well-known in: the art. Y

The advantages ot thev invention Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it bellongs. It will. be readily un,- derstood that the grain is introduced intoy the apparatus in measu-,Ied quantities and these .quantities are thoroughly secu-red by Washing fluid introduced With the grain. The chambers are so, arranged and thel cam mechanism so, related that thel grain is: automatically transferred from one chamber to another in timed sequence, so asfto maintain a continuous operation, each` chamber being emptied betorea new' charge is introduced Bytreating the grain in successive compart` ments, the grain and; washingfluid-y are first held in intimate relation, the scouringl functions are eilectively carried; out in. a minifv mum ozt time. Little or nofwater gets into the second chamber and: as, itV progresses.

through the apparatus is. thoroughly,v dried, noscouring. Water-reaching the third chana-V ber.

invention and, described; an opera-tive; man-y nerof constructing and' using thersame, althoughK Without a-.ttemptingV to set torth all ot the forms i-n Whichit; may be:i made, 0r' all of the forms of its, use, what is claimed 1s:-

1. A grain scouring apparatus comprising a plurality of chambersv having.- laterally disposed openings establishing communica Y tions between theL respective chambers, agis.

tator members mounted ,in the. respective chambers.. pivotally-supported; laterally? movable cam controlled' gates; arrangedl in.

Having` thusl explained theV nature of the` 2.- A grainzscouring apparatus comprising` a pluralityV ot chambers;having.v laterally, disposed openings. establishingV communication between.. the respective chambers,V agitator members mounted in; the respective, 'chambers, pivotally-supportedl laterallyfmovable cam controlled gates arranged iii-pairs, oper;y

isc

ating arms for said gates, links connecting the arms of each pair of gates, and moving means positioned to periodically engage said operating arms in timed sequence.

3. A batch grain treating machine, comprising a housing structure formed With a plurality of independent inter-communicating batch compartments, an agitator rotatable in said housing and forming an inner annular closure for all of said batch compartments to provide a plurality of independent annular batch compartments in said housing, agitating means on said agitator member operating in each of said compartments, and flow controlling and transfer means operable in each ofV said compartments to control the ilo-W of the batch of material into the compartments and for transferring the batch of material from one compartment to the next.

4. A batch grain treating machine comprising, a substantially cylindrical casing formed with a plurality of independent batch compartments, a cylindrical roto-r e member mounted in said housing and cooperating therewith to close said independent batch compartment to form annular compartments in the housing, agitating means operable in each compartment mounted onsaid cylindrical rotor, and flow controlling and transfer gates pivotally mount ed in said housing in each of said batch treating chambers, said gates being movable laterally to the transverse plane of said "3 housing, and chambers for effecting the axial flow of material in said batch chambers and Atransferring said batches from one chamber to the next.

5. A batch grain treating machine, com- 6. A batchgrain treating machine, comy prising a cylindrical sectional housing having the sections forming annular batch chambers and assembled in alined relation, and a cylindrical rotor member rotatable in the housing cooperating With said sections to form a plurality of axially alined annu- 1 lar batch treating chambers.

7 A batch grain treating machine, comprising a cylindrical sectional housing hav-4 ing the sections forming annular batch chambers and assembled in alined relation, and a cylindrical rotor member rotatable in the housing cooperating With said'sections to form a plurality of axially alined annular batch treating chambers, agitating means operable in each of said batch chambers, independently operable flow controlling and transfer means in each of said chambers gov erning the axial flow of material in said chambers, and means operating said last mentioned means in predetermined timed relation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto `set my hand.

ROBERT H. BARKER. 

